Tackling Therapy Burnout

Tackling Therapy Burnout: Recognizing It, Handling It, and Knowing When to Hit Pause 

If you’re reading this, chances are you know exactly what it feels like to juggle countless therapy appointments—physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, ABA, feeding therapy—the list goes on. You’re told each one is essential, and you want to give your child every possible chance to succeed. But what happens when those “must-do” appointments start to take a toll—not just on your child, but on you too? That’s what we’re diving into today: therapy burnout. What it looks like, how to handle it, and when it might be time to take a breath—or even a break.

The Big Picture: Why Therapy Burnout Matters

Therapy is a cornerstone for so many of our kids—helping them grow, move, speak, and thrive. But when it’s relentless—one session blurring into the next—it can start to feel like a weight instead of a win. Burnout creeps in when the effort drowns out the progress, leaving us drained and our kids overwhelmed. And that’s okay to name. Admitting it isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. Burnout isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a signal that something might need adjusting. 

What Is Therapy Burnout? 

For kids: It’s emotional and physical exhaustion from constant therapy sessions—often without enough downtime to just *be a kid*. 

For parents: It’s the mental, emotional, and physical fatigue from coordinating, attending, and investing in the process. 

Why Does It Happen?

There are a few culprits: 

• Overloaded schedules 
• High expectations—whether from healthcare pros or ourselves 
• Lack of visible progress (which can feel discouraging) 
• The emotional toll of watching your child struggle 
• No time for play, relaxation, or family connection 

Signs of Therapy Burnout

So, how do we know burnout’s knocking? It looks different for our kids and for us, but the signs are there if we tune in. 

For Your Child: 

Maybe they’re pushing back harder—crying before sessions, dragging their feet, saying “I don’t want to go,” or zoning out when the therapist starts. You might notice more meltdowns, less spark, or even them dodging a therapy tool they once loved. That’s their way of saying, “I’m done for now.” Other clues? Regression in skills they’ve already learned, or physical signs like fatigue, trouble sleeping, or tummy aches. 

For Us: 

It’s that deep fatigue where we’re just going through the motions or feeling numb to the routine. Maybe you cringe opening the therapy schedule, dreading appointments. Or maybe you feel emotionally drained, resentful toward the process, losing patience more quickly, or snapping for no reason. Guilt might creep in too—“Am I doing enough? Am I failing my child?”—or you’re feeling guilty for not being “up” for it, daydreaming of a day off. That’s burnout waving at you. 

Pause and look—where are you and your kiddo at? Those signals aren’t flaws; they’re guideposts. 

What to Do About It

Let’s say burnout’s here—now what? Here’s how we can ease it, with some wisdom from therapists who’ve seen this before. 

Check In With Your Child:

Watch them—do they still perk up at all in sessions, or is it all fight? If they can talk, ask how they feel; if not, read their cues. Experts say kids often show burnout through avoidance or frustration—trust your gut to catch it early, because you know them best. 

Talk to the Team: 

Bring it up with your therapists: “We’re hitting a wall—can we tweak this?” Therapists suggest adjusting intensity—maybe shorter sessions or a fun twist, like turning exercises into a game. One pro tip I love: ask if progress has plateaued; if it has, that’s a clue to shift gears. They’re your partners—let them help. 

Weave in Fun: 

Offset the grind with lightness. After a tough OT block, take them outside—breathe fresh air. Therapists say balance is key—too much therapy without play can tip kids over the edge. For you, sneak in a quick win—sip tea, blast a song. Small joys keep us both going. 

Trim the Load:

Scan that calendar—are all these appointments musts? Experts recommend checking the frequency; if it’s too much, scale back. Could speech wait a week if PT’s heavy? Focus on what’s moving the needle most right now—less can be more when burnout’s lurking. 

When to Take a Break

Sometimes, tweaking isn’t enough—sometimes we need a full stop. Here’s how to know, with some expert insights. 

Red Flags: 

If your child’s sliding backward—losing skills instead of holding steady—or if meltdowns are relentless, that’s a sign. For you, if you’re unraveling—tears in the parking lot, or no memory of feeling okay—it’s time. Therapists warn that pushing past this risks bigger setbacks—progress shouldn’t break us. 

How to Pause: 

Tell the team, “We’re taking a breather—a week, two weeks, a month, whatever fits.” Experts say it’s not quitting—it’s recharging. Use that gap for rest or play—no goals, just being. One therapist shared how a break let a kid come back eager, not exhausted. Open that door with your team—they’ll guide you. 

I remember when my son Miles was about three, and we were in the thick of it—his disease had us throwing every therapy we could at it. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, equine therapy, swim therapy—you name it, we were there. On top of that, he’d just started preschool, and we were racing from one thing to the next every single day. It was like we were on a hamster wheel. By the time Spring Break rolled around, we were fried. School was off, but therapy? Still on the calendar. I could see Miles hitting a wall—he was cranky, less responsive in sessions, just not himself. And honestly, I was right there with him, feeling the same drag. 

I was terrified to ask for a break. Everything felt so urgent, so life-or-death—how could I pause when his condition was this serious? What if he regressed? But I could feel it taking an emotional toll on us both. So, I finally worked up the nerve and asked his therapists, “Can we take Spring Break off too?” To my relief, they got it—they said a week wouldn’t undo his progress, that it might even help. So we did it. We slept in, had some fun, just breathed together. When we went back the next week, Miles was like a different kid—more open, more him. That break didn’t just save us from burnout; it brought us back to life. 

Coming Back: 

Ease in slow—try one session, see how it lands. Still rough? Stretch the pause. Feeling refreshed? You’ve found your groove. Therapists say to watch engagement—when your kid’s ready, you’ll see it. Go back gently—let that be your pace. 

Embracing the Reset 

Here’s the beauty: stepping back from burnout clears the soil for something better. Therapy’s a piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture. When we lift that weight, we find the good stuff again—the laughter, the little victories, the “us” we’ve missed. 

What could you and your kiddo rediscover with a little room to breathe? 

We experienced this more recently with Miles after his latest hip surgery. He’d been non-weight-bearing for months post-op, and once he was cleared, we jumped into physical therapy full force to get him back on his feet and rebuild his strength. Summer was over, school was back in session, and we were racing from class to PT several days a week—trying to hit it hard, you know? But there came a point where Miles was done. He was disinterested, non-compliant—part pre-teen attitude, sure, he’s at that age now—but it was more than that. The fatigue and burnout were written all over him. 

Thankfully, his wise therapist noticed too. We talked it out—how he was shutting down, how the back-and-forth was wearing him thin. She suggested shifting some therapy to home instead of dragging him in every time. It was such a simple tweak, but it made a world of difference. Miles could work at his own pace, in his own space, and suddenly, he wasn’t fighting it as much. That change didn’t just ease the burnout—it gave us both a breather and kept him moving forward. 

Here’s the bigger picture, Rare Mamas: it’s about staying in tune with where our kids—and we—are at, always. Keep an eye out for those burnout signs and get comfortable spotting them—they’re signals. When you see them, feel okay stepping up and talking to your child’s therapist—pausing a session, taking a break—because we’re not just tending to their physical needs with all this therapy. We’re cradling their emotional well-being, too, and ours right alongside it. At the end of the day, no one knows your child better than you. You are their advocate, their safe place, their biggest supporter—and sometimes supporting them means recognizing when they need a break.

That’s the strength we bring to this journey!   

To Listen to this podcast episode, check out Rare Mamas Rising Tackling Therapy Burnout